More than 11,500 American and Filipino military personnel launched one of their largest annual combat readiness exercises Monday amid growing alarm over massive land reclamations by China in disputed South China Sea territories.

Japan and the United States reported progress in top-level trade talks on Sunday that could pave the way for a broader trans-Pacific trade deal, although Tokyo cautioned that a bilateral accord was unlikely in time for a summit next week.

In Greece’s most high-profile political trial in decades, members of the neo-fascist party Golden Dawn appeared in a Greek court for a brief hearing as their trial opened Monday on charges including membership in a criminal organization and murder.